


the story behind us

by prkchnyl (ryeouknim)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Character Study, Family Issues, Gen, M/M, and i love soo, baekhyun's a rly troubled kid in here, baeksoo - Freeform, if anything someone almost drowned lmao, no this is not a mermaid fic, the story about how about i write a story huh huh huh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-18 13:19:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8163386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryeouknim/pseuds/prkchnyl
Summary: The story behind Kyungsoo is he found Baekhyun when he doesn’t want to be found, under the blanket of the sea.





	

_The story behind diamonds_

_is that they were just rocks until 1938_

_when a marketing campaign_

_forever linked them with love._

The sun is high up in the clear blue sky when Baekhyun trudges out of the coliseum along with hundreds of the other graduates, Masters diploma in one hand and his graduation cap on the other. His mother’s smile is blinding, a mirror of his own and the group of friends he’s managed to keep in those years he struggled through thick books and boring lectures are now hooting obnoxiously, jostling other graduates who just laugh in kind.

 

The story behind Baekhyun’s diploma includes an embarrassing first day of class, forgotten first set of friends, a broken heart, two failed subjects, more than 50% of his allowance spent on starbucks, monthly batch parties, tons of sleepless nights and millions of money spent.

 

Baekhyun looks at his hands and sighs, asking not for the first time, _where do I go from here?_

 

One day after their graduation, Baekhyun wakes up to a message from Chanyeol in their group chat saying “ _CONGRATULATIONS TO US WE’RE NOW OFFICIALLY UNEMPLOYED_!”  In where Jongdae manages to send a couple of crying emojis and _“should we take a doctorate degree I don’t feel like leaving school just yet”_ before probably going back to sleep.

 

The story behind Chanyeol is that he’s been Baekhyun’s first friend since first day of college. Stuck to Baekhyun like an overgrown koala. Back then Chanyeol is nothing compared to the man he is now. Chanyeol was lanky where now he’s muscle filled, hair brown and curly where now it’s slicked back and black. But Chanyeol still laughs like a hyena when it’s just them, Chanyeol still gives too warm bear hugs, Chanyeol’s still got Baekhyun’s back, huge warm hands steady on the back of his neck.

 

The story behind Jongdae is that he’s the only one from their class who can match up to Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s energy combined. Jongdae joined in their third year in college when they were tasked to work on a semester long project in a group of three. Jongdae comes and goes and he’s friends with literally half the population of the school but he always comes back to them, he’s Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s best friend.

 

Baekhyun’s been bored come the 2nd week of doing nothing and he’s becoming sick of his best friends’ faces now. Just when he’s about to take his 4th nap for the day, he receives an unexpected call from his dad.

 

_The story behind lobsters_

_is that they weren’t thought of cuisine_

_until the nineteenth century._

_Before that they were considered peasant food_

_and most often served in prisons._

Baekhyun gets off the plane on a rainy Sunday morning, the salty wind of Jeju ruffling his already sticky hair. He’s met with a hug from his dad and his aunt and it’s got nothing to do with the rain or the wind but Baekhyun’s spine turns cold. Baekhyun stares outside the window as his dad drives them, home.

 

Baekhyun pulls out his headphones and tunes everything out until his vision blurs.

 

The story behind Jeju happened four years ago, with Baekhyun fresh from college and came to visit his dad before his graduate studies starts. A vacation of sorts, _because I miss you_ , dad used to say.

 

The story behind his parents is that there’s no mom _and_ dad. There’s mom, and then there’s dad. There will always be mom and Baek, and sometimes there will be dad. Baekhyun was fifteen when they both decided enough is enough. It wasn’t an ugly fight, Baekhyun didn’t wake up to crashing sounds or screaming, rather Baekhyun wasn’t able to fall asleep because the house felt too silent, too eerie, to empty. Baekhyun didn’t experience the tears and the harsh words and someone walking out of the house with a loud bang of the door, instead Baekhyun experienced hours and hours of waiting in the living room waiting for mom to return from her overtime. It’s been months until Baekhyun learns never to wait up for dad anymore because it’s not anymore the home he goes back to.

 

The story behind his aunt is that she’s probably dad’s new lover but Baekhyun refuses to believe with all his might. Baekhyun thinks about mom crying herself to sleep, mom’s hidden stash of their family picture in the bottom drawer of her dresser. Baekhyun remembers hearing mom say to the phone, _I love you_ and receives no reply.

 

The story behind tuning everything else out happened when Baekhyun saw dad and aunt kissing. Baekhyun locked himself in his room, and saw no one for two days before he’s being cornered by a concerned dad. Dad denied everything, hugged him when he cried, told him he was just seeing things and forced him to dress up, say sorry for not showing up the past days. The dinner they served was Baekhyun’s favorite but it felt like lead settling at the pit of his stomach. That night, dad kissed Baekhyun on the forehead before he sleeps and Baekhyun flinched, unshed tears stinging his stubborn eyes. _It was just your mind going wild,_ dad said, _no such thing happened okay, now go to sleep. I love you._ Baekhyun nods before going to his room.

 

And for a while Baekhyun almost believed him.

 

The story behind airports is that Dad sent him back home to mom two weeks earlier when he breaks down for the umpteenth time. Aunt decided to join them in their father-son bonding, catching his attention when it should be on Baekhyun, spending his dad’s money like it’s not the first time she’s done it, sitting beside his dad like she’s always belonged there. Baekhyun silently got up from their dinner, while dad and aunt were too busy laughing at something, and went home. Dad got mad, called him unreasonable for making things up. Dad sent him home when he’s had enough of Baekhyun’s _nonsense_ and doesn’t know how to handle his outbursts anymore.

 

Baekhyun closes his eyes, leans on the window wills himself to sleep.

 

_The story behind us_

_is that you said_

_‘I won’t wait forever’_

_and I didn’t really listen_

When Baekhyun wakes up, he’s facing the vast waters, dad’s new home is facing the sea. He sees someone walking under the rain, barefooted on the sand. Someone familiar.

 

Baekhyun gets out of the car even before the engine goes silent and lifts the hood of his jacket to cover his head from the drizzle of the rain. He hears dad’s voice from behind him, probably calling and asking, but Baekhyun pays him no attention. His heart’s pounding, a loud beating drum in his ears along with the wind. Baekhyun almost sputters when the wind blow his hood off, stumbling on the cold sand.

 

A low chuckle reaches Baekhyun’s ears despite the harsh wind and when Baekhyun looks up he expects to be face to face with a laughing Kyungsoo.

 

The story behind the sea is it effectively swallows Baekhyun’s screams.

 

The story behind the sand is it mostly buries a lot of Baekhyun’s fears.

 

The story behind the rain is it always hides Baekhyun’s tears.

 

The story behind Kyungsoo is he found Baekhyun when he doesn’t want to be found, under the blanket of the sea.

 

The story behind Kyungsoo’s smile is it’s the first thing Baekhyun sees when he comes into, coughing out inhaled seawater. It’s the last thing Baekhyun sees before fatigue claims him once more.

 

The story behind Kyungsoo’s laugh is that he doesn’t do it often, but when he does Baekhyun realizes something funny settles at the base of his chest. It’s a nice feeling especially if he’s laughing with Baekhyun, even if he’s laughing at Baekhyun.

 

In moments of weakness, sometimes, the story behind Jeju becomes drunken summer nights under the moonlight, sprawled on the sand. The story behind Jeju becomes Kyungsoo and his late night shifts at the seaside bar singing upbeat songs to ballads. The story behind Jeju becomes drunken nights, Kyungsoo whispering lyrics after lyrics of love songs he’ll never admit to singing sober.

 

The story behind Jeju is about Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.

 

Baekhyun finds solace in the beach the moment he first found out about dad’s new relationship. It’s weird, but Baekhyun saw the exchange of messages in dad’s phone and he wretched his lunch right then and there.

 

Not knowing how to feel and what to think about the whole thing, Baekhyun decides to take a walk in the seashore. The sound of the waves calms Baekhyun’s racing heart, the softness of the sand grounds Baekhyun’s floating mind. He stayed there, empty minded, heart at ease until the sun disappears at the horizon and the sea breeze turns cold he’s forced to head back home.

 

Baekhyun finds peace in the waters when Baekhyun sees dad kiss someone who isn’t his mom. Disgust rolls in Baekhyun’s stomach and he runs to the sea, trying to wash his vision away, trying to heave his feelings away.  Baekhyun cries, there in the middle of the sea, waves harsh and unforgiving and Baekhyun’s knee gives out, he gives in to the waves and the undertow and lets the sea swallow his tears.

 

Kyungsoo finds Baekhyun one fateful summer night, the first storm brewing a distance away making the winds harsh, the waves even harsher.

 

Kyungsoo loves the sea, born in the sea, grew up near the sea. Kyungsoo’s lost everything to the sea but he holds no contempt, everything changed, everything left, save for the sea, the only constant in Kyungsoo’s life.

 

Then there was a man, a boy? Maybe about Kyungsoo’s age standing in the middle of the sea, a few meters from the huge dip in the seabed where the undertow’s currently unrelenting. He looks preoccupied, Kyungsoo observes. Staring at the distance, an arm wrapped around his stomach. Kyungsoo comes closer, as close as he dares without getting his shoes wet.

 

Something seems wrong, because the storm’s coming closer, waves rolling higher, then the stranger suddenly falls. Kyungsoo shouts, waiting a few seconds but the stranger doesn’t resurface. Kyungsoo doesn’t waste another second before he’s running to the sea, diving and the waves part before him.

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t see the stranger the first dive, so he rises for a few seconds to take gulps of air before he’s plunging back down, determined to find the stranger. Kyungsoo swims deeper, scanning the sea as far as his vision allows him. The seawater has become murky due to the harsh waves, but there, at the bottom of the sea where the sea grasses are thick lies the stranger.

 

Swimming with all the air and energy left in him, Kyungsoo reaches out to the unconscious stranger, pulling him by the front of his shirt to the surface of the sea. It was easy enough, swimming even with the stranger weighing him down, but Kyungsoo learns that it’s harder to pull the stranger’s dead weight, weighed down by the water, to the shore.

 

Kyungsoo feels for a pulse, though weak and threadbare, it’s there but he doesn’t seem to be breathing. Kyungsoo momentarily frozen before he starts performing the resuscitation they were trained to do when he was at school, the cases of people taken by the sea increased that even people who doesn’t step on the sand got worried.

 

Heaving a huge breath, Kyungsoo tilts the strangers face upwards, cupping his chin and pinching the nose before breathing into the stranger’s mouth, lips sealed together. For a moment Kyungsoo breathes for them both until the stranger hiccups before coughing out the seawater he’s inhaled. Kyungsoo sighs in relief, turning the stranger to his side and pats his back.

 

Kyungsoo feels a smile tugging at the corners of his lips and he does just that when the stranger comes into. No one dies in the sea; no one dies in Kyungsoo’s hands this time.

 

Baekhyun wakes up feeling like he’s been chewed by a whale and been spit out but still managed to stay alive. He’s parched and his throat hurts like hell so a croak comes out of his mouth even when he means to groan.

 

A soft laughter pulls Baekhyun out of his still muddled mind, willing his heavy eyes to open. The first thing he notices when he comes around is the sound of rain, next is that he’s cold, shivering even, and that he’s wet. When Baekhyun’s eyes focuses, it’s to a smiling face of a stranger with full lips and huge eyes.

 

“Who are you?” Baekhyun means to ask but it comes out as a coughing fit. Cold hands reach out to pat his back and a bottle of water is shoved in his face.

 

“You need to drink this. You inhaled a lot of seawater and you’re probably dehydrated.” The other person says and Baekhyun doesn’t see the logic and he doesn’t even think he’d drink seawater but takes the bottle anyway and proceeds to drink. “Slowly.” The person’s still saying, cold hands warming up as it constantly strokes his back.

 

Baekhyun drinks about half the bottle before he’s assaulted by another coughing fit. Belatedly, he realizes that he’s soaked, probably to the bones because he’s shaking, it’s raining, really hard, the wind is harsh, and he’s in a cottage near the sea with a complete stranger, equally soaked.

 

Then he remembers the harsh waves, he remembers himself falling, he remembers the emptiness, the silence of the sea.

 

“Who are you?” Baekhyun finally asks, the peace he felt under the sea slowly fading as his problems and his emotions slowly but surely returns.

 

“I’m Kyungsoo. I saw you when you fell in the sea and I just..” Kyungsoo bites his lower lip. The stranger is young, maybe his age or just a year or two older and he’s frowning now, shivering still, but colour starts to return to his cheeks and that’s good.

 

Baekhyun then realizes that he almost died and this stranger, no, Kyungsoo saved him. Baekhyun thinks about mom waiting for him back at home and shivers rack down his spine. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” And Baekhyun’s tears roll down his cheeks once more, this time due to relief.

 

When Baekhyun gets tired of crying, he observes that the storm has passed leaving the sand sticky and wet. He’s still in the cottage with Kyungsoo and he’s thankful that the other didn’t comment on his earlier breakdown.

 

“So,” Kyungsoo clears his throat and when Baekhyun looks at him, he’s got a curious look on his face, wide eyes questioning and youthful cheeks shivering due to the cold. “We should probably get back home. It’s too cold to stay in these wet clothes and I can hardly feel my toes.”

 

“Yeah. I.. We should.”  Baekhyun stretches his legs, still sore, and he’s grateful for the hand offered to him because he won’t be able to stand without help. “I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Baekhyun.” He squeezes the hand already in his before letting go.

 

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo tests the roll of his name and it makes Baekhyun smile. “So, are you here for the summer or..?” Kyungsoo asks as he starts walking towards the paved road.

 

“Summer. Staying with my dad until the school season.” Baekhyunpoints at the modest house visible from where they’re walking. “Do you live here?” Baekhyun shivers when a cold air bursts when they reached a more elevated ground.

 

“Yeah.” Kyungsoo says, silent, final. Kyungsoo walks him towards the tiny gate in front of the house Baekhyun pointed at earlier and Baekhyun fears what he might see when he goes in so he hesitates by the lawn, turning to face Kyungsoo who still hasn’t left. “If you’re interested, I sing every Thursdays at the Lady Luck. See you.” Kyungsoo points to the general location of the bar before walking off with a single wave.

 

Lady Luck is an open live bar, booths tucked in one corner, the bar in the other, plush chairs scattered at the wide space in front of the stage. Baekhyun settles by the bar, orders something he sees at the board above the racks of colorful bottles.

 

Kyungsoo comes up the stage after the opening duo who riles the people up. The guitarist stays even when the other says his thanks and Kyungsoo steps up with a stool. Baekhyun can hear a few people clapping even before he starts singing and he’s graced with a slight quirk of the lip.

 

Kyungsoo sings covers and covers of English popular songs. People love it, especially the foreigners lounging on the plush chairs near the stage. His set lasts about fifteen minutes before he’s saying goodbye, thanking people for their cheers.

 

Baekhyun turns back to the bar finishing his untouched drink before someone stands beside him and orders three bottles of soju. When Baekhyun finishes his drink, a hand grabs his wrist and Baekhyun turns to Kyungsoo, three bottles of soju in one hand and Baekhyun’s wrist on the other and he’s being pulled to the shore.

 

Kyungsoo drinks two of the three bottles but Baekhyun only needs one before he starts spilling all his secrets, screaming at the still blue sea as Kyungsoo urges him on. Baekhyun tells him about his parents, his dad probably having somebody new, his dad probably forgetting about him now that he can start a new family, his mom back at home. Baekhyun digs a huge hole in the sand and places their empty bottles inside before their laughing and burying the bottles under the sand until Baekhyun forgets about his fears and worries.

 

The next day, Kyungsoo fetches Baekhyun in his house before dragging him to the sand to dig their bottles and throw them in their proper bin.

 

It becomes a routine. Sometimes they pass by the convenience store to buy their soju or they get it on the house when Kyungsoo sings at the bar.

 

Kyungsoo sings covers and renditions of English popular songs for their guests, but Kyungsoo sings old Korean love songs to Baekhyun when he’s drunk.

 

Their first kiss happens without the influence of alcohol. Baekhyun was sprawled on the warm sand, basking on the warm glow of the sunset with his eyes closed. He’s close to dozing off when he feels something soft pressing on his cheeks. Opening his eyes, Baekhyun sees Kyungsoo hovering above him with a smile as warm as the sunset. Baekhyun smiles back, puts a hand on Kyungsoo’s nape, tangling nimble fingers on his hair before he pulls Kyungsoo down for a kiss.

 

Kyungsoo’s lips feels so soft and warm and real and Baekhyun gets lost in the sensation.

 

They don’t talk about the kiss. They don’t ask about what the kiss makes them now.

 

But now, Kyungsoo whisper-sings cheesy love songs in Baekhyun’s ears before he leans forward and captures all the songs stuck in Kyungsoo’s lips with his own.

 

One afternoon, Kyungsoo arrives at the cottage but Baekhyun’s not there, nowhere to be found. The lights in his window is turned off when Kyungsoo passes by. Maybe he went somewhere with his dad, and so Kyungsoo went back to the sand to wait.

 

Baekhyun doesn’t return after three days and when he does, it’s with swollen, angry eyes.

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t ask about it, instead pulls Baekhyun into his arms and kisses him until all the fight in his shoulders drop down.

 

“I’m leaving.” Baekhyun whispers against Kyungsoo’s lips. “He’s sending me back home.” Baekhyun hiccups and hugs Kyungsoo tight.

 

“Okay.” Kyungsoo tells him when Baekhyun calms down. It’s not the answer Baekhyun wants to hear, but if he’s to be honest he doesn’t know what answer he wants so he keeps silent.

 

Just like before, Kyungsoo walks him to the foyer of his house, kisses him goodnight, and Baekhyun doesn’t complain if the kiss linger for a little longer. “Will you wait for me?” Baekhyun asks, his lips pressing against Kyungsoo’s collarbones. He thinks Kyungsoo’s just gonna say _okay._ Just like how he answered to all of Baekhyun’s requests.

 

Kyungsoo, will you come with me? _Okay_. Kyungsoo will you sing me this? _Okay_. Kyungsoo will you stay the night? _Okay_. Kyungsoo, what if I say I love you? _Okay._

But again, Baekhyun’s rendered speechless when Kyungsoo says, “I don’t think I can.” His arms tighten around Baekhyun like he’s putting back all of his broken pieces, like that’s enough.

 

That night, Baekhyun can still feel Kyungsoo’s arms around him and it’s enough to lull him to sleep.

 

The next moring, Baekhyun flies back to Seoul, and Kyungsoo stays with the sea.

 

The story behind goodbyes is that they never had one.

 

 

_The story behind art is that no one calls it a masterpiece_

_Until it has already been bought,_

_Until it is hanging on the wall_

_In someone else’s home_

Baekhyun blinks, eyes scanning the expanse of the empty beach. Back in Seoul Kyungsoo’s voice used to haunt him. Whispering soft love songs even when he’s sleeping. Back in Seoul, Kyungsoo’s smiling face used to haunt him like it’s tattooed on the back of his lids.

 

Now Baekhyun’s back in Jeju and Kyungsoo’s still just an echo in his ears, an image in his mind.

 

A whole month passes by, Baekhyun doesn’t see a single shadow of Kyungsoo.

 

The story behind Kyungsoo is that Baekhyun loves him, and Kyungsoo said okay.

 

Baekhyun flies back to Seoul with an empty heart and mind still void of answers.

 

_The story behind us_

_Is that until I lost you I had no idea_

_What you were worth._

 

“hey Baek!” Chanyeol greets when Baekhyun answers his call. Baekhyun just arrived in his apartment, choosing to be alone for the meantime. He’ll visit his mom soon and maybe stay a while before figuring out what to do with his life.

 

“Hey you too.” Baekhyun says, and Chanyeol’s answering laugh makes him smile. “what’s up?”

 

“My cousin asked me to play for him in his gig tonight! You should totally watch us!” Chanyeol rants about the details and how his cousin’s coming over to practice for their set. Baekhyun doesn’t see the harm and agrees to watch their practice. Baekhyun figures he might just go to the gig from there along with the cousins.

 

It’s one in the afternoon, the sun is hiding behind a thick cloud and Baekhyun’s thankful for the soft breeze. Chanyeol’s apartment is a whole eight blocks away from Baekhyuns but the sun is mellow enough that Baekhyun decides to walk the distance.

 

Tonight Baekhyun will be watching a gig, probably in a noisy, stuffy bar, will be listening to new popular Korean songs. Baekhyun wonders is Chanyeol’s cousin is any good. If he can even come close to Kyungsoo. Baekhyun laughs at himself. Even if he does turn out good, no one can ever come close to Kyungsoo.

 

Baekhyun knows Chanyeol’s passcode and even has a key. The security lets him in easily and the receptionist knows him so he boards the lift to the 18th floor. Chanyeol’s apartment is at the far end of the right wing. Even with the door closed, Baekhyun can hear Chanyeol’s guitar and a deep resonant voice accompanying the instrument.

 

Baekhyun presses the doorbell once to let Chanyeol and his cousin know of his presence before using his spare key to open the door. He struggles with his shoes at the foyer before making his way to the kitchen where the guitar sound is coming from. Baekhyun’s halfway to the living room when the other voice starts to sing. A familiar deep voice pronouncing almost perfect English lyrics of a timeless song.

 

Baekhyun’s feet feels like lead and he struggles the short distance to the kitchen’s entrance that he stubs his toe on the corner of the fridge. “Ow! Ow ow!” Baekhyun jumps single footed holding onto his other foot when he hears a familiar laughter, and when he looks up, he sees Kyungsoo’s smiling face behind the dining table looking at him.

 

For a minute, Baekhyun thinks he might be dreaming yet again, but Chanyeol’s cackles are still audible in the background.

 

“Hi”. Kyungsoo says. His hair is red.

 

Baekhyun stares, foot still in hand before he’s almost running to cross the kitchen. He skids to a stop a foot away. It really is Kyungsoo, biting his lips to prevent a laugh.

 

“Hello.” Baekhyun finally replies before settling on the chair beside Kyungsoo.

 

He’s faced with Chanyeol’s confused face, asking them if they knew each other. Kyungsoo replies _maybe_ to everything and Baekhyun couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Join us?” Kyungsoo asks him a moment later when Chanyeol gets over his senses and Baekhyun smiles, probably too wide like he hasn’t smiled in a very long time before leaning in to whisper in Kyungsoo’s ear, “Okay.”

 

The story behind goodbyes is that they never have to.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> ohhhhhh!  
> Inspired by Clementine von Radics' poem, The Story Behind Lobsters  
> (or something)  
> i was finally able to write a proper fic after a reaaalllyyy long time  
> :D  
> anyways, thank you.  
> (I have been struggling with my writing style but looking back in all my other fics i guess it has always been like this ;A;)  
> i promise to check/re-read and correct any mistakes made when im 100% awake. (this fic is a huge mistake tho lmao)


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